Kevin McDonald started for Fulham for the first time since August on Saturday, as Scott Parker's side beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup Third Round.

Goals from Anthony Knockaert and Harry Arter gave Fulham an eventual 2-1 win over the Villans in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Parker's side will progress into the Fourth Round and they did so with a new-look team, which featured Kevin McDonald from the off.

The Scot is a beloved fan favourite at Craven Cottage but his season so far, and indeed his last year-and-a-half at the club has been blighted by a recurring calf injury.

But he's been nearing fitness and the 31-year-old looked as though he'd never been away, passing the ball as good as any Fulham player has this season and showing Parker why he's such an influential member of that team.

Here's what he posted on Instagram after the game on Saturday:

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It was only McDonald's third start of the campaign and his fifth appearance in all competitions. He's played well over 100 games for the club though since joining back in 2016, and was a key component in their promotion-winning campaign in 2017/18 playing in all but one Championship game.

He'd played all but one of Fulham's Championship games in the 2016/17 season too, so after two seasons of being so fit and so involved, it's been hard to watch McDonald struggle in the way he has with injury.

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Everyone at the Cottage on Saturday was pleased to see him back on the pitch and he's still got the quality that made fans fall in love with him - he'll be a huge plus to Parker's plans if he can stay fit in the second-half of the season.